Self-locking body-brace.



L. A. FRITSGH.

SELF LOOKING BODY BRAGE.

APPLICATION FILED 1330.7, 1912.

1,075,348, Patented Oct. 14, 1913.

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TED %TATE% PATENT @FFTQE.

LEWIS A. FRITSGH, O13 CINCINNATI, OHIO.

SELF-LQCKING BODY-BRAGE Application filed December 7, 1912.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Lnwrs A. FRrrsoH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cincinnati, Hamilton county, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Locking Body- Braces; and I do declare the following to be a clear, full, and exact description of the invention, attention being called to the drawing which accompanies this application and forms a part thereof.

This invention relates to improvements in orthopedical appliances of a type known as back or body-braces. Broadly considered, devices of this kind comprise means which serve to carry out the intended function of the appliance and means whereby the appliance is held in place. These latter means consist usually of straps which are attached to the appliance and, aided by suitable fittings, serve to adjust the appliance to the required pressure and to hold it in a manner whereby the desired action and effect are obtained. The strain produced on these straps in resisting the adjusted pressure necessarily reacts and in a manner whereby pressure is transmitted to all parts of the body of the wearer with which these straps come in contact, including such parts where pressure is neither desired nor required. In appliances where the straps are so used and placed as to involve also the abdomen, the aforesaid conditions become objectionable.

It is the aim of my invention to so make appliances of this kind and where straps are used as described to adjust and to hold them, that the objections referred to above are not present.

In the following specification and particularly pointed out in the claims at the end thereof, will be found a full description of my invention, together with its manner of use, parts and construction which latter is also illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1, shows my improved appliance in rear view. Fig. 2, is a side-view of the same and as it is shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is a top-view of it as it appears when a section is taken on line 8.3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4, shows in enlarged view a fitting used in connection with my appliance. Fig. 5, is a horizontal section of this fitting.

In the drawing, A, indicates the bodybrace proper, made up in any manner suit- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Got. 14, 1913.

Serial No. 735,413.

able for the purpose and so as to present the necessary resistance, in a form either rigid or more or less yielding, elastically or otherwise, as may be required to suit special conditions. E 1

B, B, are the straps whereby it is held in position, for which .purpose they are placed over the shoulders, from the rear forwardly and returned again below the armpits and to the center of the brace in the back. From here'they are brought forward again around .the abdomen and connected to each other in front bya suitable fitting, usually in form of a buckle C.

Generally in braces of this type thestraps engage with a fitting at the rear in a 'Inanner to be free toslide loosely through the same, the proper tension and pressure being adjusted by pulling on the forwardly extending parts of the straps before they are belted around the abdomen and connected to each other by fitting C in front. Thereafter this fitting holds the straps to their adjusted tension. By reason of this arrangement the effects of the strain of the brace due to its intended corrective action,

by resisting positions and movements of where they engage the brace and extend therefrom forwardly'after having first been passed rearwardly under the arm pits. Nor do I interfere with the use of these straps by the wearer, by pulling them forward, for the purpose of adjusting the brace to proper pressure. For such purpose I apply the straps in a manner that they do not cross each other at the back but instead, from the point where they closest approach each other in the center of the brace, each is passed forward again on the same side of the body, and around the waist to the front. In connection with this novel arrangement of the straps, "I provide a 'speclal fitting D which comprises two upright bars (Z(Z, disposed in a plane edgewise opposite each other and with a space between them.

The straps are passed around these bars,

there being a bar for each strap, one for the strap passing over the left shoulder and around the left side of the waist and one for the strap which passes over the right shoulder and around the right side of the waist. This causes them to pass around these bars as best shown in Figs. 3 and 5, that is in close contact with the inner opposite edges of said bars so that the straps are forced to pass over serrations 7-7 provided on these edges. Said fitting is also provided with flanges 88, laterally spaced from bars cZ-cl, thereby producing slots 99 which are utilized for securing said fitting in position. This is done by overlapping pieces of fabric as shown at a, which form part of brace A and are stitched to each other with flanges 88 between them, the stitches passing through slots 99.

The appliance is placed as shown, and adjusted to proper pressure by pulling outwardly on the lower parts 10 of the straps as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. In due time the straps are brought forward around the front, belted around the waist and connected to each other by fitting C. WVhile in the usual form of appliances pull has to be exerted upon the straps until they are closed in front by fitting C, to hold them to the adjusted tension, which tension is thereafter held by said fitting, such is not necessary in my case, since here the tension is held by the serrated bars cZ-d of fitting D in the rear and due to the acute and short turn around these bars which results when the straps are brought together in front. In other words, while in the former case, each strap is used to the extent of its entire length to hold the brace with the required pressure, in my case only their upper parts 11, are used, that is that portion of them which passes over and around the shoulders and terminates where the straps are engaged and held by the serrated bars. The portions beyond, viz. portions 10-10, serve mainly as means for conveniently pulling the straps until the proper tension is produced in the upper parts 1111. After that they are brought to the front, belt-fashion and disposed of by being engaged to each other by fitting C, which may be done Without producing tension in these portions which encircle the abdomen.

Inasmuch as there is a bar for each strap, to hold the same, the adjustment of one strap is entirely independent of that of the other one so that special conditions, requiring a tension over one shoulder which is different from that over the other shoulder, may readily be taken care of. It will now be seen that the normal strain in these straps whereby they hold the brace in position, or any temporary increase in this strain, due to movements of the wearer, does not extend beyond the point where they are locked to fitting D, the short turn or bight around the serrated edges of bars cZd, after the lower parts of the straps are passed forward, being suflicient to hold them against slipping.

The appliance is readily taken off by simply unfastening the belt-portions 10, 10, from each other and by moving them rearwardly and away from the body as shown in Fig. 3, in dotted lines. They become thereby freed from the serrated edges of bars cZcZ and may freely slip past them. By having these edges turned outwardly as shown in Fig. 5, interference by the serrations on them with the prompt disengage ment of the straps, when loosened in front, and their free movement in a direction opposite to that of the arrow shown there, is entirely avoided. Observe the loose one of the straps shown in said figure.

My invention does not apply to devices where the straps which hold the brace under tension do not serve also as belt-straps and where independent straps are used for this latter purpose.

Having described my invention, I claim as new:

1. In a body-brace, the combination of a brace proper, straps for the same adapted to pass forwardly from the brace over the shoulders, rearwardly to it below the arms and forward again on the same side of the body, without crossing each other, a locking fitting secured to the brace in the median line thereof and adapted to engage each strap between its ends so as to maintain the adjusted tension in that part of the straps which extends over the shoulders and back to said fitting and to limit it to that part, and a closing fitting to hold those parts of the straps to each other which pass from said locking fitting around the abdomen to the front.

2. In a body-brace, the combination of the brace proper, a locking fitting comprising two spaced bars secured to the lower part of the brace and in the median line thereof, straps extending from the upper part of it forwardly over the shoulders and back again to said locking fitting and around the bars thereof, one strap around one bar and the other around the other bar and, without crossing each other, in opposite directions beyond them to permit individual manipulation of each of these straps for adjusting the tension in each which is held thereafter by the bars of said locking fitting, one bar holding the tension in one strap and the other bar holding the tensionin the other strap and a closing fitting to hold the ends of the straps to each other after having been passed around the abdomen.

3. In a body-brace, the combination of the brace-proper, two holding straps for the s me Secured to the upper part thereof and ing members, one for each strap, and adapted to hold the shoulder-engaging portions of the straps each to the tension to which it has been adjusted, and a closing fitting to hold the belt-forming portions of the straps to each other and in place around the abdomen Without being affected by the tension in the shoulder-engaging portion of the straps.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses. LEWIS A. FRITSCH. Witnesses:

C. SPENGEL, T. LE BEAU.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

